Police Warning People To Avoid Sweetheart Scams On Valentine's Day
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Pennsylvania State Police are warning people on Valentine's Day not to become the victim of a sweetheart scam.
With more and more people finding love online, authorities say make sure the person you're talking to isn't simply trying to part with your money.
"It can be anything from 'I'm in love with you. Can you buy me something?' They will use any type of scam to at least get you to feel sorry for them and fall in love with them so you can start sending them money," said Pennsylvania State Trooper Tim Green.
So-called sweetheart scams consist of people forming online relationship with someone they've never met, and that special someone asks for money.
"The sweetheart scam is where the scammers use wire transfer services and even pre-paid credit cards and gift cards where they try to scam their victims into sending them money," said Green, adding that "people that are lonely are most at risk."
Couples' psychologist Alex Caroline Robboy says this scam is becoming more common, especially with the popularity of online dating.
"I certainly have worked with a lot of people that have started to connect and you can almost feel that something isn't adding up," said Robboy.
Robboy says that perhaps most surprising is how some of the victims know they're being scammed.
"What's so fascinating to me is that people know on some level that this is a scam, but they really enjoy the contact," said Robboy. "They really enjoy having someone pay really close attention, so over time it really starts to get confusing."
State police say stay extra vigilant, talk to family or friends about anything that doesn't seem right, and remember with love.
"If it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is," said Green.
In 2015, the FBI estimates nearly $200 million was stolen nationwide as a result of sweetheart scams.
